Meet NCAN’s 2022 Advisory Task Force

By Zenia Henderson, Director of Member & Partner Engagement

Reading time: 3 min.

NCAN is excited to welcome 17 new members and eight returning members to our Advisory Task Force. We created this space to give NCAN members the opportunity to connect virtually with peers from across the country and to help inform our field by weighing in on critical issues in college access and success.

The Advisory Task Force held its first monthly meeting on Jan. 20, where we had an opportunity to share how test-optional policies are affecting student advising and programming.

We learned that some member programs have shifted away from providing test preparation services to focus on other aspects of the college application process, such as helping students develop a portfolio, boosting GPAs, or providing wraparound college advising services.

Also shared in the discussion were some members' concerns about the increase in test-optional policies that apply to admissions but not financial aid. Specifically, if a program reduces or eliminates test prep services because of the increase in test-optional admissions policies, practitioners can't help but wonder if this could, in turn, reduce students' eligibility for aid when institutions still use standardized test scores to award merit aid.

On the other side of the postsecondary pipeline, we found that many school districts are considering a more holistic approach to measure students' readiness. But this could prove to be a difficult shift, as many districts have financial commitments and contracts with testing entities ACT and College Board.

Overall, Advisory Task Force members offered compelling thoughts around existing measures of readiness and what will go in place of standardized testing. We know members are eager to find the most effective ways to gauge student readiness while remaining committed to expanding access and preparing students for success into and through postsecondary education.

We look forward to leveraging the vast knowledge and experience of these task force members and continuing to learn how to better prepare the attainment field in response to the ever-changing admissions landscape.

Here are the members of NCAN’s 2022 Advisory Task Force:

1. Shirley Acevedo Buontempo, Latino U College Access
2. Kristin Austin, Rewriting the Code
3. Michael Cobb, College Advising Corps
4. *Heather Constantine, Communities in Schools - Houston
5. Meredith Curry, Northern California College Promise Coalition
6. Natalee Deaette, Access Opportunity
7. *Amy Kirschenbaum, Options Center/Goddard Riverside
8. *Wenie Lado, College Greenlight, EAB
9. *Carol Lopez, Broward County Public Schools
10. Brandi Lyndall, Woodward Hines Education Foundation
11. Katie Mazzie, Utah System of Higher Education (USHE)
12. Kenneth McGhee, Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE)
13. Tracie Metz, myFutureNC
14. *Anne Michie, GRASP (Great Aspirations Scholarship Program Inc.)
15. Carrie Pena, Career Compass of Louisiana
16. Staisha Perry, Partnership for the Future
17. *Jeremy Raff, School District of Lancaster
18. *Noel Salunga, Reality Changers
19. Juli Scalf, College Greenlight, EAB
20. *Antwawn Sheats, Gwinnett County Public Schools
21. Sam Wallis, Yonkers Partners in Education (YPIE)
22. Mia Washington, College Beyond
23. Jordan Wesley, Let's Get Ready
24. Mindy Willard, Madison Metropolitan School District
25. Amy Yearwood, Pittsburgh Promise

*Indicates returning Task Force members.

Read More:

• Meet the 2022 NCAN Leading for Equity Fellows
• NCAN Members and Students Prioritized Policy and Advocacy in 2021